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Lake Powell houseboat fire injures 6 people, 2 critically

Six people were taken to hospitals after a fire torched a houseboat on Lake Powell on Friday afternoon, according to the National Park Service.

A 46-year-old man and an 8-year-old boy suffered the worst injuries and were taken separately by helicopter to a burn center in Las Vegas.

The fire started around 4 p.m. A line used to siphon gasoline between two containers leaked onto a boat engine and caused an explosion, the park service said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

It was not known Sunday whether any of the people were from the Grand Valley.

Four people were taken by ambulance to Page Hospital.

The privately owned houseboat was on the shoreline of Gunsight Butte when the fire began. Several other people who were on the houseboat at the time were taken to Wahweap Marina, the park service said.